The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-02
KISSANE'S STRANGE CAREER.
Further Information About a Man Who
Is Now Charged with Many Crimes,
Present Is a Respected, Influential and
HonOred Citizen of California.

New YORK. April 1.-The Herald this morn
lug printed the following in regard to the won
terful life of BILLY" Kissane s'Kissane ia we'll
known to most prominent Californians. He has
Cor years bean very active in State politics. an
influential delegate to conventions, aud man
who always consulted in the division of tho
spos. He never himself, however ran for an
>fice that was hi CHER than that of county super
visor. He is Democrat, like the men whom he
has selected to act as his counsel Senator Geo.
Hearst is old friend of his, and would. it is
said. speak favorably OF him, knowing only the
history of that part of his life which he has
passed in the Golden State 1t is not rnnter-
ssting to know that the attorney whom Kissane
sSnt to this taty to make the motion before Re-
corder Smyth, which is to be decided this morn.
Ing, to dismiss the untried Indictment of 1884.
was acquaintance of the former in his youth,
but lost sight Of him for fifteen years, until the
moment when he again met him in California.
Then said this attorney. who is Mr. j. B. Hart.
of San Francisco. 4 should not have known him
bat for certain circumstances, and even to-day
could not take my oath that r. is the same 'BiP
Kissane who, in 1849 was a clerk in Lot Pugh's
great pork packing establishment in Cincinnati"
.'Without betraying your professional trust,
SIR Hart can you not give me a mere outline of
Mr. Kissane's history aside from what has al
ready been publishedls
Mr. Hart belongs to the typical class of pio
sesrs for it was in 1S49 that he sold out his
store in Hamilton, O.. and went to California.
Gradually and by gentle persuasion and timely
indulgence the following facts were brought
out:
ST ILL l.
said. 'Of course must stop at the name. I
know .othing about these charges of crime, ex-
cept what have discovered By searching the le-
cal reports. Kissane, as have intimated, was
known TO me in Cincinnati when kept store
n Hamilton. The record shows that he was ac-
sussd of being accomplice in the burning of
she steamer Martha Washington, on the Missis-
sippi river. together with Cummings. Dnane,
and others. He was tried at Cincinnati in the
United States Court before Judge Mclean, on
an indictment for attempting to swindle insur-
companies. The investigation very
exhaustive, and he was acquitted. Subsequent
~ the judicial authorities of Helena. Ark,
which place the con migration occurred, obtained
the custody of his body and tried him for muir
der, one person having lost his life on the
steamer. lie was again acquitted. | have the
history Of the cases The first you find in
the fifth volume of McLeans Reports. In 1884
the forgeries were committed which caused a
loss of $4,000 to the Chemical Bank.
In November he was indicted. You
already know enough Of that his
tory. There is no disposition to deny his
guilt in connection with the cases. We will only
say that he has outlived it. | went to Cali
fornia IN 1S49. In 1857 met kissane out there,
under the name which he bears. I subse-
quenty learned that his first venture in the
State was the keeping of q store in Sacramento
Probably he made little money at that. for
afterward he engaged in mining at Gold Hill,
New, with partner, and together they achieved
great In few years Kssane had
amassed between 500. 600 and $500, 000."
Mr. Hart was reluctant TO say much of defin-
ite nature regarding Kissanes present posses
slons, but said that there was an exaggerated
idea abroad regarding them. Twenty years ago
he married beautiful yoang lazy, Who was
twenty years his junior. They have now either
seven eight children--the attorney was
csrtain az to the exact number. The wife is
about forty Ave years old. She is aniable and
bene1cent Of disposition. and ls much loved by
al! who know her. Kissane bears his sixty five
years well, and is remen bered by nearly all mis-
neighbors as a man Of the very highest char
acter.
.'In what county does Kissane live"
''Sonoma.'
HAS he any Office in San Francisco"
''No."
Mr. Hart denounced the motive of both the
Chemical Bank officers and General Darr as
black mail. and he says it in order to head
this off thai he made the application to dismiss
the Indictment. Darr had written not only to
the authorities here, out TO those at delena ana
Cincinnati as WELL TO induce them TO make ap-
pliceticn for the extradition of kissane 81 be-
lieve myself" said Mr. Hart, 'that Darr expects
TO divide with the Chemical Bank the proceeds
of this claim should Kissane ray it"
The attorney did not deny that his client
would satisfy the demand of the Chemical Bank
rather than have his present name and connec-
tons exposed IF, however" he added, "Darr
and these people insist upon pressing the judi
Nial phase of this matter, we shall begin criminal
actions against them at once for black mail. 1t
is for that contingent object that ex-Coneress-
man Barclay Henley has been retained. Why,
sir, the attorneys of the Chemical Bank in San
Francisco, Messrs Sawyer & Burnett wrote to
Kissane threatening him with extradtion to
New York unless he paid their client the sum to
which 1t lai. claim. But for that never should
have called attention to the numbering indict-
lnent."